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US: Governors meet at White House about Asian carp

By Mark Guarino, The Christian Science Monitor

The governors of Michigan and Wisconsin met at the White House Monday to discuss the next steps in preventing the invasive Asian carp's potential entry into Lake Michigan from an Illinois shipping canal. The Illinois governor, Pat Quinn, also participated in the meeting by teleconference. Read More

US: Unemployment taxes slam businesses

By Tami Luhby, CNNMoney.com

NEW YORK -- Employers are getting hit with a massive tax hike at a time when they can least afford it. Companies in at least 35 states will have to fork over more in unemployment insurance taxes this year, according to the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. Read More

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RECENT STATELINE.ORG STORIES


	MO: McCaskill -- Missouri politicians posturing on stimulus WASHINGTON -- Sen. Claire McCaskill accused Missouri officials of political dishonesty Monday for bashing big spending by Washington while using federal stimulus money to help balance the state budget.
	KY: Medicaid, while caring for more, faces big budget challenge As the economy has worsened in the past two years, Kentuckys Medicaid rolls are rising faster than at any other time in the past decade, adding poor, disabled and low-income people at the rate of 3,400 a month.
	WY: Wyo. gov. urges fiscal restraint in state address Gov. Dave Freudenthal says Wyoming legislators need to hold onto the states financial reserves as they craft a new state budget.
	CA: Fixing seasons of California discontent The prospect of more California-statehouse dysfunction this year is adding momentum to two efforts to overhaul Californias budget process — including one that could rewrite much of the states constitution.
	CA: Schwarzenegger to carry Olympic torch Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is traveling to Vancouver, Canada, to serve as a torchbearer Friday morning for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the committee organizing the Games announced Monday.
	PA: Rendell to decide soon when to hold election to fill Murtha's seat Because of the great political interest in the matter, Gov. Ed Rendell says hell soon decide whether to have a special election to fill U.S. Rep. John Murthas seat in Congress or whether to hold the election on primary day, May 18.
	AL: Gov. Riley announces assistance for out-of-work casino employees Workers who have lost their jobs at electronic bingo casinos across the state should know that help is on the way -- from the man who helped put them out of work -- Gov. Bob Riley.
	VA: Long-held inmates sue Virginia parole board for release Virginia abolished parole for convicted criminals in 1995. But more than 6,000 prisoners remain who were arrested prior to 1995, a new lawsuit alleges, and the state parole board denies release to more than 96 percent of them each year.
	US: States look to the bottle States suffering through tough times are reaching for a tonic. Lawmakers in several states with tight control of liquor sales are considering legislation that would shift the job to private industry, saving money and raising revenue.


	Weekly wrap: Fed report doubts energy states will recover first Revenues down in gas-producing states; Obama snubs Las Vegas—again; and economist Mark Zandi predicts start of economic expansion.
	Quinn survives — for now CHICAGO — The governor of Illinois has nine months to win over a clearly frustrated state electorate.See also: Primary season starts, and govs could fall
	Governors talk energy with Obama TODAYS TAKE: President Obama on Wednesday (Feb. 3) told a group of 11 governors — including those from coal-friendly states — that the United States must move aggressively toward a clean energy economy.
	Making IT work As states struggle to close historic budget gaps, potential new responsibilities — including national health care reform and government downsizing — will force many to overhaul outmoded computer systems over the next two years. Though notoriously difficult to pull off, major Information Technology upgrades can save states millions in personnel and other operating costs.
	Primary season starts, and govs could fall Although primary season is typically safe for sitting governors, six of the 15 governors running for re-election in 2010 could face strong competition from within the ranks of their own party.
	Quinn declares win, but results not final TODAY’S TAKE: Gov. Pat Quinn declared victory in the Democratic primary for Illinois governor on Tuesday (Feb. 2), but challenger Dan Hynes refused to concede. State Sens. Bill Brady and Kirk Dillard were neck-and-neck for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, and recounts are possible.
	Va. Senate bans health insurance mandate TODAY’S TAKE: The Democratic-led Virginia Senate sent a strong message about health care reform efforts in Washington, D.C., on Monday (Feb. 1), passing a bill that makes it illegal for Virginians to be required to buy health insurance. Similar legislation is being debated in more than two-thirds of the states.
	Obama budget includes aid for states TODAY’S TAKE: The federal budget proposal that President Obama will send to Congress today (Feb. 1) includes $25 billion in emergency Medicaid funding for states, even as it freezes other domestic spending.
	Weekly wrap: Govs seek to prop up budget reserve funds Depleted rainy day funds prompt review; Toyota’s temporary sales suspension could impact state revenue; Ohio loses an iconic employer; and new studies released on recession, state stimulus web sites.
	High-speed rail funds en route TODAYS TAKE: A day after delivering his first State of the Union address, President Obama heads to Florida to showcase $8 billion in federal funds for high-speed rail projects in the Sunshine State and 30 others.
	Ore. voters approve $727 million tax hike TODAY’S TAKE: For the first time since 1930, Oregon voters approved a general tax increase on Tuesday (Jan. 26), signing off on a plan to raise $727 million by targeting corporations and the wealthy.
	Oregon tax vote poses fresh test for Dems A week after Massachusetts voters delivered a stunning blow to Democrats’ legislative agenda in Washington, D.C., Oregonians on Tuesday (Jan. 26) will decide the fate of Democratic-led efforts to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy in the state by $727 million.
	Health care wrangling could delay state aid TODAY’S TAKE: Federal health care reform has been a divisive issue for states, but for some governors seeking immediate budget relief from Capitol Hill, the wrangling over the legislation is causing uncertainty.
	2010 speeches are bleak for most governors With nearly three-quarters of their seats up for election this year, the nation’s governors are setting the stage for 2010 by warning that the economic downturn is far from over in the states, where tax collections are weak, unemployment is surging and the likeliest outcomes will be unpopular tax hikes and sharp budget cuts.
	Bold proposals in first gov speeches The governors of California, Kentucky and New York on Wednesday (Jan. 6) became the first to deliver state of the state speeches to their legislatures this year, using the occasion to push policy proposals aimed at helping their states gain jobs and emerge from fiscal crisis.

DAILY STATE NEWS

IL: GOP -- Still no governor candidate
Nearly a week has now passed with no clear winner in the Republican primary for Illinois governor.
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)
Read More

NY: Ethics reform dies on Senate floor
The state Capitol's status-quo system of ethics enforcement -- sometimes flouted, often derided -- remains intact.
Times Union (Albany)
Read More

HI: Hawaii will delay sending out tax refunds to balance budget
Some Hawai'i residents may not see their state income tax refund checks until the end of August even though they file their taxes on time.
The Honolulu Advertiser
Read More

Elections headlines from Stateline.org

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The seventh annual Hal Hovey Award was presented Feb. 3 to Marc Perrusquia, an enterprise and investigative reporter for The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis Tenn. The award is made jointly by Stateline.org, which is part of the Pew Center on the States, and Governing Magazine for outstanding coverage of state and local government.

Links to daily news and summaries of the governors' speeches

Full text of governors’ addresses going back to 2000

Dates for state of the state speeches

Read the latest news, analysis and research on the economic crisis in the states in Stateline.org's new Recession and Recovery special section.

The Stimulus and the
States
Follow how states are managing the stimulus money and which programs are receiving funding as part of the recovery effort using Stateline.org's stimulus special section.

Click here for a calendar of legislative sessions in 2010.

Click here to read summaries of action in all 50 states and major trends of the 2009 legislative session.

Stateline.org has compiled an extensive list of state issue political blogs to make it convenient for you to follow state government.

If a blog you find interesting and informative is not on our list, tell us about it by sending an email to editor@stateline.org.

Blogs organized by Issue

Blogs organized by State

Stateline.org has put together a list of state public policy resources organized by issue. Here, you will find useful links to essential information from government, academia, and think tanks. If you have a link to add, please email us.

Go to the state public policy resources page

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